City Looks to Preserve Historic Farm Before Development

City Looks to Preserve Historic Farm Before Development

Historic Preservation Planners for the City of Frederick have submitted two applications to put a historic overlay on the Conley Farm in Frederick.

FREDERICK, Md. - It's more than 200-years-old and a rare site in the City of Frederick that has City Historic Preservation planners looking to protect what's left of the areas historic farming roots.

"The Conley Farm is just a really unique property, when you're there you feel it. The buildings are unique, they tell a story and it's the story of Frederick City," said Christina Martinkosky of the Historic Preservation Commission.

The 32 acre Conley Farm was placed on the Frederick County's landmark register in February 1991.

The area surrounding the farm is now developed with many housing communities.

If the historic overlay is approved, potential developers of the property at 199 Baughman's Lane will have to preserve these buildings on the farm.

"With any proposed development there will be more houses on the site than there are now, so there is a concern what will happen, and what the negative impacts will be to these historic resources," said Martinkosky. "The main house is a very impressive. [It has] stone construction and a very formal design, and [it's] well preserved so it's a really great example from that era."

City preservation planners says the farm is representative of how the City of Frederick has evolved over the last 200 years, from diversified farming techniques and dairy practices.

The Conley Farm owner did not want to comment on the potential historic overlay or development.

The Historic Preservation Commission is holding a public comment meeting on the proposed historic overlays Tuesday at 7 p.m. at 140 West Patrick Street in Frederick.

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